Hudson. — Importance of N.Z. Biological Collections. 199 



4th March. — Besides (27. neglecta, there were a few of 

 Adaviastor cinereus to-day, but this was its last appearance. 



7th March. — Arrived at Hobart in 'the early morning. 

 The harbour was alive with porpoises. There were the usual 

 Seagulls and estuary birds, such as Gannets and Penguins, 

 and a flock of Mutton-birds {Puffinus griseus) numbering 

 many hundreds, and packed so closely together on the water 

 that they looked like a sand-bank or reef till the approach of 

 the steamer made them take wing. 



7th to 12th March. — There was nothing deserving of special 

 mention from Tasmania to New Zealand. For two days out 

 the weather was rough and wet, and few birds were to be seen, 

 but after that Diomedea exulans became very numerous, with 

 a fau" proportion of young birds, and now and then a solitary 

 D. regia. xlcting on a suggestion made by Professor Newton, 

 I obtained a number of snap-shots at these bu-ds with a 

 Kodak camera for the purpose of illustrating theu- manner of 

 flight. On the morning of the 12th we sighted land. When 

 about twelve miles from the shore a pair of Larus dominicanus 

 came off to us, and remained in attendance on the ship down 

 the coast to Auckland. A Kingfisher also came off to welcome 

 us, and made a circuit of the ship, then attempted to come up 

 again, but was apparently too much exhausted, and finally 

 sank to the surface and disappeared. In the Hauraki Gulf 

 Majaqueus gouldi was occasionally seen, and small parties of 

 the Diving Petrel [Halodroma urinatrix) were disporting them- 

 selves in the water. The shades of evening had closed in upon 

 us when we cast anchor inside of Rangitoto, and the calling 

 of the Morepork could be heard from the shore, bringing back 

 many pleasant associations of New Zealand life. 



Art. XV. — On the Importance of New Zealand Biological 



Collections. 



By G. Y. Hudson, F.E.S. 



[Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 9th August, 1893.1 



Mt attention was first directed to this subject by a most 

 interesting address read by Dr. Sharp before the Entomo- 

 logical Society of London, in January, 1888. Since that time 

 I have thought a good deal about the changes that are being 

 produced by civilisation on the li^Ting animals and plants in 

 New Zealand. 



The fauna and flora of these Islands are, I beUeve, largely 



